Flushing apparatus.



V. W. HARMON.l FLUSHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION man MAY l1. 1915.

1,186,091. Patented June 6,1916.

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VINAL W. HARMON, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLUSI-IING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 17, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VYNAL W'. HARMON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flushing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart thereof.

This invention has reference to improvements in flushing apparatus andparticularly to flushing apparatus for hoppers of various kinds. i

One object of the invention, is to so construct a iushing apparatus ofthe nature herein described that a main body of water is held back by abody or column of air sustained by a column of water whereby, when thepressure of the main body of water becomes excessive or the volume ofthe body of air decreases to a predetermined point, the water seal isbroken.

Another object of the invention is to produce a flushing apparatus ofthis nature in which the operation of the apparatus is comparativelynoiseless.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The invention consists in the means for conning a column of water at orbelow7V the iushing level together with means for receiving' a volume orcolumn of air between said column of water and the main flushing chargeof water.

The invention also consists in the apparatus for receiving the volume ofair having means through which said air may be removed.

The invention also consists in the means for releasing air from thevolume or column of air.

The invention still further consists in such other novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fullydescribed and pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1, represents a side elevation, partly in section, of theimproved flushing apparatus shown in relation to a. hopper of ordinaryconstruction. Fig. 2, represents a plan sectional view of the same takenon line 2 2 Fig. 1, Fig. 3, represents a sectional detail View of asimple valve mechanism adapted to control the air outlet,

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 6, 1916. Serial No. 28,731.

conditions, to control the height of water in said tank 5. of the tank 5its lower end a Upstanding from the bottom is the outlet pipe 8 havingat connection with the U-shaped vtrap having the arms 9 and 10 connectedby the bend 11, the arm 10 terminating in the delivery pipe 12 whichdelivers to the hopper 13 at a point preferably above the bend 11.

Over the upstanding pipe 8 is placed the inverted cup or chamber 14which has the saw-tooth edge 15 resting on the bottom of tank 5, wherebywater is free to pass into said cup or chamber le, and the wall of saidcup or chamber is furnished with air passages 16, 16 located at or belowthe said pipe 8. Provision is made for ting the escape of the chamber 14or permitsome portion of air from pipe 8 and in the present illustrationof the invention such air escape comprises the air pipe 17 which, at oneend, communicates with the pipe 8 and at its other end is furnished withthe spring closed Valve 18 and the drip pipe 19 which delivers into thehopper 13.

While the drawings are not drawn to scale it may be assumed that theinternal area of pipe 8 is preferably in proportion to the area betweenthe exterior of said pipe and the upright wall of chamber 14 as 1 to 2,but these proportions may be varied.

In the operation of the apparatus it is to .be assumed that the arms 9and 10 of the trap are lilled with water about to the level aa, thepressure of the water in one arm 9 approximately balancingthe pressurein the other arm 10, and that pipe 8, above said level a-a, and chamberle contain air. Water supplied to tank 5 will now enter said chamber 14under its edge 15 and will rise in said chamber while the water in tank5 rises and covers the air passages 16, 16, after which the rise ofwater in tank 5 exerts pressure on the air in chamber 14 and pipe 8which ultimately may result in forcing the column of water in arm 9 ofthe trap downward until the pressure of the column of water in arm 10balances the pressure of water in the tank 5. At such time the waterlevel in pipe 8 would be at or about the line top of -b while the wat-erlevel in the chamber 14 would be at or about the level 0 0. The waterforced from the arm 10 constitutes the rell for the hopper. 1i' new airis permitted to escape from any point between the water levels b-b andc--c as by opening valve 1S, such air will be replaced by water and thelarge volume of water entering pipe 8 from said chamber will overcomethe resisting pressure of the water in arm 10 oi the trap suiiicientlyto force a portion of the water through delivery pipe 12 which water7 inmotion7 will etl'ect a siphoning action on the water remaining in saidarm 10 and on the water following from the tank 5. hen the water levelin the cup or chamber 14 falls below the air passages 16, 16 air enterssaid chamber 14, breaks the siphon and supplies air above the column ofwater in pipe S which water passes into the trap. The entrance of airthrough the passages 16, 16 continues until the water in the tank risesabove said passages, so that a body of air is supplied which iills thechamber 14 and said pipe 8 and is somewhat compressed by the pressure ofthe water in tank 5, as above described.

The apparatus as herein shown is supplied with a low tank so calledbecause oi its proximity to the hopper. Vhen however the tank is placedconsiderably above the hopper the pipe S is extended accordingly and theair outlet pipe 17 is either lengthened to locate the operating deviceof valve 18 in a convenient position or some other air outlet device isused having operating means located in a convenient position.

The chamber 14 preferably is of Crockery mainly to reduce the cost butit is evident that said chamber may be made of glass, metal or anysuitable material and said chamber 14E may or may not be fixed in place.

lVith this apparatus the water from tank 5 cannot overiiow the upperedge of said tank provided said tank is of a height greater than thecolumn oi' water adapted to be sustained by the water in arm 10 of thetrap.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent.

Flushing means comprising a hoppen a trap Jfor retaining water at apoint below its delivery to said hopper, a iiushing tank, a. watersupply pipe extending from said trap and having an open end extendingwithin said tank, a chamber covering said open end of said pipe andhaving water passages and air passages pipe, and a valve controlled airescape pipe communicating with said supply pipe.

VlNAL W. HARMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for :five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

below said open end of said

